River of the Unknown Future
by Darkmoose84
Summary: A response to the end of Season 3. How does the bond between Marinette and Luka continue? What are the other truly thinking, and is Marinette ready to move on from Adrien yet?


"Someone take these dreams away\That point me to another day\A duel of personalities\That stretch all true realities" – Joy Division

Luka looked up as he laid back in the turquoise beanbag chair on his mother's house boat, which floated steadily on the river Seine. Even despite the great city lights of Paris, from here, he could see what looked like a vast stream of the twinkling burning masses that seemed to reflect the same river on which his boat now rested. He thought for another moment and began strumming a few more chords on his guitar, thinking once more of a particular dark-haired girl who he wished was there with him.

"Umm, hi, Luka?" he heard the voice of the girl say, wondering at first if it was just in his head. But after a second, he turned around to see Marinette standing on the pier and realized his wish came true.

"Oh, hey, Marinette," Luka responded, a cool, suave smile on his face, "What brings you out here so late?"

"I-I hope I'm not interrupting anything..." Marinette stammered as she walked onto the boat, "It's just...I wondered if we could talk some more."

"No worries at all," Luka chucked, "In fact, there's another beanbag here with your name on it! Why not have a rest?" She walked over and attempted to sit on the thing, but as she wasn't prepared for how unstable and wobbly it was, she nearly fell over, letting out her signature yelp when she was surprised. Luka couldn't help but laugh. "Careful there!"

"Sorry," Marinette felt embarrassed but readjusted herself in the seat, now laying back in the same position as Luka and trying to get comfortable, "But...maybe I could hear that tune again?

Luka said nothing, looking at her out of the corner of his eyes before closing them and letting his hands move on their own. Out of the acoustic guitar came that same melody he played by the riverside the other day as they shared ice cream. Marinette closed her own eyes and allowed herself to get lost in the soft, strange but sad melody. This time, for some reason, it sounded more refined, more assured. No note breaks, no hesitation. Was it that he had been practicing or was it that she allowed herself to be more taken in by the sound...by him?

At length, the melody ceased, and his hands came to a rest.

"Yeah, I've practiced a bit since we last spoke," he beamed, but then he sat up straight, "But, come on. Why don't you tell me why you're really here?"

"Okay..." Marinette sighed, sitting up likewise to meet him at eye level, "You said that I could be myself around you, right? I mean, just be candid and say whatever I need to say?"

"Hey, I'm all ears," Luka replied, putting his guitar down and returning to a casual stance, "Whatever you need to say."

"And you won't repeat this to anyone?" Marinette asked nervously.

"Hey, The Luka abides, man."

"What?"

"Nothing," he laughed, rolling his eyes, "It's from an old movie."

"Well," Marinette breathed in deeply, taking in the brine smell from the river into her nostrils before exhaling, "I felt like I wanted to expand upon...the word salad I basically laid into you at the park. I feel like there's so much responsibility on my shoulders. It's just been too much to bear. I mean, I have to keep up with school, keep up with my friends and their needs...And then I have my other jobs and projects to work with..."

"You mean your parent's bakery and fashion designs?"

"...Yeah," Marinette answered with some hesitation, "Just, all this time, through it all, I feel like I have to put up this confident front, to keep a level head through it all and prove anyone who says I can't wrong. But all the while..."

She felt as if she were losing herself in all these feelings welling over. Was all of this for nothing? Were all her efforts for nothing?

"I just feel like it's all for naught. I mean, I tried so hard to show the guy I like how much I cared and continued to work on my courage over the past year to tell him how I really felt, only to find out I was too late, and on top of everything else...just..." She put her head in her hands and began to cry.

"It's okay," Luka leaned in and wrapped his arms around her, "Just let it out." She rested her face now in his shoulder, no matter how awkward an angle it was. She just let go and let the tears and her feeling flow into the cloth of his blue shirt, and with it came some sense of freedom. Losing herself in his arms was freedom.

"I just feel like there's all these different sides of me," She continued, wiping her eyes before looking up at him, "These dueling personalities that I'm having to cope with...And the person they're ultimately for doesn't even see it..."

"And that's his loss," Luka shook his head slowly, "You can't keep banging your head against this brick wall. If he doesn't notice, is he really worth your time?"

"I don't know…" Marinette hesitated again, "It's not just him. I kind of messed up on potentially making a friend out of an enemy. There was this girl who I told couldn't be on this project with me, and then I told this other friend the same thing but then still let her in on it...I just wasn't consistent in how I approached her, and..."

"Are we talking about this Chloe person you've mentioned before?" Luka asked.

"Yeah," Marinette answered, "I really thought she could get better; maybe if I had communicated with her more or been more candid or clear with her, maybe we could've been friends."

There was a moment's silence. Marinette had finished for now, but she was clearly still a wreck. This was the moment for Luka to give his two cents.

"Listen," he let out a sigh, letting go of her and sliding his hands along her arms until he was holding her hands, "I really don't know the whole story, and really, I don't have to; that's your business. And you know, maybe you could've communicated with her a little better, but ultimately, she makes her own decisions. If she wants to keep being a jerk to you and everyone around her, that's her problem. You don't need a friend like that.

"As for feeling like what you do doesn't matter or not knowing what's ahead, no one can really know what's waiting ahead for them. Take a look at the water of this river." He casually pointed to the waters ahead of the boat. Marinette took a moment to gaze at the rippling waves that twinkled from the city lights. She looked further down the river, only to watch it terminate into shadow beyond her natural range of vision, the unknown aspects of the future waiting for her as the next year progressed. "We might not be able to see where it's going, but we're still traversing it. Me, I simply go with the flow of it all; I just know I gotta face whatever comes to me and let it flow like water. And simply being on this river, we're creating ripples in the waves and making our own impact to it. You've made an impact on all of your friends lives, including Adrien's...and mine."

His viridian eyes met her hers, those soft, sky-blue orbs that seemed to twinkle from the light of the few street lamps, in which he felt he could lose himself.

"You're kind, creative, fun, playful, and overall beautiful," Luka continued, "I know you may not be over seeing Adrien with that Kagami girl, which I can completely understand. But I know that I'm thankful that I can see all of these things in you, and more importantly, I would hope that you would be able to see all these things in yourself."

"I'm...but I'm..." Marinette sobbed, though she seemed to be calming down, "I'm clumsy, and I'm inconsiderate at times, and I'm not sure of how to handle my new role in my after-school project, and I'm..."

"Look," Luka smiled, "We all have our flaws, but that's not what I want you to focus on right now. You need to know how great you are...how great I see you."

There was another silence. They looked further into each others eyes, looking through the windows of the temple of the soul. They both felt as if they could see their true selves. Marinette felt her eyes close on their own; Luka's seemed to close on their own as well, as he leaned forward. Their lips nearly met when Marinette's brain began to rattle, asking herself, 'Am I truly ready for this?' For a moment, her mind's eye pictured not Luka but Adrien and Chat Noir, almost as that of an interposed image, coming in to kiss her instead.

'No,' her mind answered back to her, 'No, no, no, no, no! This isn't right! Something's not right!'

"No!" Marinette heard herself yelp as she opened her eyes and jerked back. Luka likewise opened his eyes in surprise.

"No? What's wrong?" he asked with genuine concern.

"Sorry," Marinette answered, standing up, "I just...I don't think I'm quite ready yet."

"I understand," Luka nodded, giving a warm smile, "But, maybe, if and when you are, perhaps you would consider trying again with me? Until then, though, I'm always here for when you need to vent or if you'd like to hear a new song."

"Of course," Marinette gave a nervous laugh, "I always love your music. And thanks for listening and for the insight, Luka; I mean it."

"You're always welcome."

"Well, I better get home," Marinette returned to her normal happy self and waved, "Goodnight, Luka." Luka watched as she disappeared from the pier and down the street.

"Goodnight to you, too...Ladybug," Luka swooned, feeling defeated but hopeful. He then picked up his guitar and headed into the boat. Along the way, he noticed Juleka's door open, having fallen asleep at her desk while reading the latest issues of Gothic Beauty and Fangoria. He then picked up a blanket and placed it over her shoulders, at which point he headed to his own room, laid down, and fell asleep while looking through the port hole window at the night sky and its river of stars.

Across town, Marinette arrived home through the glass roof door. She then proceeded down to her bed and sat for a moment.

"Are you okay, Marinette?" Tikki couldn't help but ask.

"I'm fine, Tikki," she answered, "I'm just a little confused right now is all."

"It's understandable, Marinette," Tikki reassured her, "Matters of the heart typically are confusing."

"But I need to sleep before my brain explodes," Marinette laid her head on the pillow and closed her red, tear stained eyes, "Goodnight Tikki." Within seconds, her world went black, and she was asleep.

"It will all be okay, Marinette," Tikki softly said, placing her tiny paw on Marinette's forehead, thinking to herself about how Adrien and Chat Noir were indeed one in the same and wishing she could tell her all this but knowing she couldn't, "Everything will work out in time. Both of you will see your happily ever after eventually. I promise."


End file.
